Game Day 2021 AFL Draft & AFL Rookie Draft

[Gekko71]

Pretty happy Hawthorn picked Jai before we could. Didn’t want him. Not overly bothered by passing on Williams either. Benning has a higher ceiling than both and a much better fit for us.

Some outside run or a small forward tomorrow and I’ll be happy.

Yeah good call - we've got a good track record of finding hidden rookie gems (Barlow, Duman, Tracey...) simply because our picks have been previously compromised by all that Suns / GWS "equalisation".

Just because we've had a rolled gold draft this year, that doesn't mean there's still not a good-sized golden nugget or two just waiting for Freo's patented medal-detector to eventually swing their way.

 

[MadMundy]

Bring on Hugh Dixon

41

Hugh Dixon

Age

25

Ht

196cm

Wt

96kg

Pos.

F/R

Career

Season

Last 5

D

8.0

2star

K

4.0

2star

HB

4.0

3star

M

2.0

2star

T

0.0

1star

G

1.0

4star

No current season stats available

D

8.0

2star

K

4.0

2star

HB

4.0

3star

M

2.0

3star

T

0.0

1star

G

1.0

4star

in the RD

 

[Tbonefreo]

Eagles ended up doing pretty well. Bazzo, Williams, Clark, Hough.

 

[Dockeroo]

The real winners of this draft at Cockburn have been lachie Schultz, Mitch Crowden and trav colyer.
no competition whatsoever for their spots introduced to the list so far.
We surely will grab a small forwards with good upside tomorrow in the rookie draft?

 

[Ge3ks]

Eagles ended up doing pretty well. Bazzo, Williams, Clark, Hough.

But their aged midfield isn't getting an injection of youth...SPS and Clark. They are going all in on 2022 and the future is bleak.

 

[wayToGo_]

The real winners of this draft at Cockburn have been lachie Schultz, Mitch Crowden and trav colyer.
no competition whatsoever for their spots introduced to the list so far.
We surely will grab a small forwards with good upside tomorrow in the rookie draft?

Amiss, Erasmus and Sturt are coming for their spots in the forward line. We might even try Johnson on a forward flank.

Would have been great to get Motlop but really we've been playing way too many smalls in our B22 for a few years. Now we hopefully won't need to.

 

[Polo342]

Any good small forwards in draft tomorrow? What other positions do we actually need now ? List is building beautifully

 

[Johnny Dalmas]

There's a really skinny dual sided elite kick we might have our eye on in the rookie draft. Winger/half back

But if we like someone, just pick him here. Why play silly buggers and give another club the change to grab him?

 

[Bastyy]

Any good small forwards in draft tomorrow? What other positions do we actually need now ? List is building beautifully

Jahmal Stretch and Kaden Harbour from WA are probably best available, while you have guys like Hugh Stagg from SA, Corey Preston (19 year old) from Vic Metro and Eamon Wilkinson from the SANFL

 

[Ge3ks]

I'm very happy with all our new toys. Merry Draftmas everyone!

 

[Bastyy]

Jahmal Stretch and Kaden Harbour from WA are probably best available, while you have guys like Hugh Stagg from SA, Corey Preston (19 year old) from Vic Metro and Eamon Wilkinson from the SANFL

Richard Farmer as well, former West Coast NGA before they didn't nominate him before the draft

 

[Freo Big Fella]

Greg Clark to the Weags.

"Not sure about this drafting midfielders with actual work ethic business." - Gaff/Kelly, probably.

 

[Madas]

Awesome Arthur Jones .
So stoked for you mate !!!
Give em hell and then come back and play for us in a couple of years

 

[freo1997]

Small fwds available? Brains trust who are they?

 

[Spirit Level]

I am ****ing stoked with that draft, the only thing i might’ve liked is Motlop (and JVR)

This is the type of draft that leads to sustained success

 

[bfff]

Jahmal Stretch and Kaden Harbour from WA are probably best available, while you have guys like Hugh Stagg from SA, Corey Preston (19 year old) from Vic Metro and Eamon Wilkinson from the SANFL

Small forward Jahmal Stretch, worth it for the name.

 

[Madas]

Any good small forwards in draft tomorrow? What other positions do we actually need now ? List is building beautifully

Kind of hoped Arthur went in the 50-60’s , surprised but stoked he went so early.
Kid is an excitement machine, absolute live wire in everything he does and funny as hell .

 

[Dockeroo]

Amiss, Erasmus and Sturt are coming for their spots in the forward line. We might even try Johnson on a forward flank.

Would have been great to get Motlop but really we've been playing way too many smalls in our B22 for a few years. Now we hopefully won't need to.

Yeah look, in the longer run it’s been a great draft by us and I think it will really pay dividends in 2 or 3 years time. But right now, I don’t feel the pure small forwards we have are premiership standard players apart from Walters and he’s near the end. I would say that sturt and amiss play as medium and tall respectively. Neither will fix our atrocious tackling pressure I-50 problem. Motlop would have been fantastic alright but you can’t win em all. Loved the look of Arthur Jones for example, and if Jahmal Stretch plays similarly, then I really hope we rookie him tomorrow.
I’d be hoping we might see erasmus come in on the HFF ahead of Colyer or Crowden in 2022 at some point, but as of now, Lachie Schultz is the number one small forward heading into 2022 for the Fremantle Dockers and whilst I love his effort and heart, he won’t have opposition coaches lying awake at night wondering how to deal with him.
Need a big preseason from Walters and a good attitude to carry the team next year in this area of the ground.

 

[Polo342]

Id almost Take Joshua Cripps but really feel we need the best inside 50 tackler available

 

[_007_]

I don't think there is huge value in adding another small of the same calibre as those we already have on the list.

 

[serial_thrilla]

Lol. Eagles trading up at this stage of the draft.

Did they ends up burning a future fourth for no reason?

 

[_007_]

Speculative outside midfielder for me.

 

[wayToGo_]

Yeah look, in the longer run it’s been a great draft by us and I think it will really pay dividends in 2 or 3 years time. But right now, I don’t feel the pure small forwards we have are premiership standard players apart from Walters and he’s near the end. I would say that sturt and amiss play as medium and tall respectively. Neither will fix our atrocious tackling pressure I-50 problem. Motlop would have been fantastic alright but you can’t win em all. Loved the look of Arthur Jones for example, and if Jahmal Stretch plays similarly, then I really hope we rookie him tomorrow.
I’d be hoping we might see erasmus come in on the HFF ahead of Colyer or Crowden in 2022 at some point, but as of now, Lachie Schultz is the number one small forward heading into 2022 for the Fremantle Dockers and whilst I love his effort and heart, he won’t have opposition coaches lying awake at night wondering how to deal with him.
Need a big preseason from Walters and a good attitude to carry the team next year in this area of the ground.

I agree with all of this but I'm glad we didn't take a small forward just for the sake of it. Unlike some I rate Motlop but no way would I take him before Johnson. I'd have loved Rachele but we never got a chance at him. I don't think the ones available tomorrow like Stretch and Harbour are going to be upgrades on the ones we have even. Whilst both Tabs and Lobb are in our forward line I don't think our forward pressure will be great - you could have the best pressure forward in the league but having two KPFs who apply zero pressure makes them redundant. It's why I wouldn't have minded both Amiss and JVR (because unlike Tabs and Lobb they can apply forward pressure - as can Benning).

For the rookie pick I'd probably go outside speed/endurance. Otherwise another speculative tall perhaps? I think we have enough to experiment with in our forward line for 2022. And then we can fill the gaps (eg genuine small forward) at next year's off season if we need to.

 

[Madas]

What’s the word on Benning for those who’ve seen him play live ?
Is he good ?
Would he make a suitable Lobb replacement in future ?
Early days and water under the bridge I know but interested to hear positives and negatives
Highlights look like a good project player .

We’ve finally added some depth to the forward line , absolutely wrapped with 2021 draft .

 

[Coxy101]

I’d like for us to trade picks 53 and 61 up into a higher selection. I’ve pointed out St Kilda’s pick 48 as an example. Pick 48 probably stays roughly where it is - hoping Warner or Hough slip through. Maybe Williams - don’t think he’s that highly rated.

If Benning slides through to Category B I’d love us to take another tall (assuming Williams isn’t taken earlier) in the rookie draft. Cripps and Polson are probably still there.

What are your thoughts for rookie draft given how the draft panned out?